736 derails over 072 switches

It sounds like the wheels may be out of gauge. Lionel 072 switches are well known problem children but if other engines are operating fine, I would look at the wheel gauge.

How stiff is the pilot if it's even a little stiff it'll walk right over the rail .It should guide itself on it's own weight it shouldn't push down when sitting on the track.

David

Thanks guys, I'll check the gauge. It does run fine thru the switches with the pilot off. It may be a little stiff. I'll address that too.

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See if the engine runs thru the switch without the pilot, if this works see if the pilot is catching on a certain part of the switch, you may need to change out the switch or you may need to file down the pilot a little bit where its catching on the switch. Hope this helps. Just my 2 cents worth.

I would put a piece of electrical tape on the edge of the pilot, where it touches. Mark

New or old O72's?

Relatively new.

I have heard disaster stories about the newer versons of the switch.

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The front pilot derails every time it crosses a switch in the curved position. I've tried everything, but came seem to figure it out.

Does your engine derail as it leaves the switch or midway as its crossing the switch and in which direction is the engine traveling over the switch?
Makes a difference..
Its no secret Lionel O-72 switches are problematic and two wheel front pilots are the most affected.
Joe

It derails midway thru. It happens when say entering a switch from the mainline and transitioning to the siding.

I've also have 2 switches that are on the curves on my mainline. It derails on both every lap. They are switched to the curve to run the main and to the straight to hit the siding.

Gentlemen,
You are not going to like this but, I will tell you I got rid of every new Lionel 072 switch I owned, I use the older 072 Lionel switches including some very old 072's from my fathers original Tin Plate 263E with my FasTrack, and it runs like glass. What prompted this was the Weaver Masonic Engine, the front trucks would not run thru any of the curved sections of the new Lionels 072 switches, it derailed every single time. I just got rid of the switches and acquired two more old sets, there is something different about the new 072 Lionel switches, I did not bother to do any engineering investigation to see
what the problem really was, did not have time to re-engineer brand new switches, nor should you have too. Running back to back switches in many places as I do on my layouts, the switches must work correctly for every engine and every piece of rolling stock. I recommend runners stay away from the new 072 Lionel switches, now the new K-Line 072 are a completely different story, if you are going to go with the newer switches make it K-Line, or Ross.
PCRR/Dave


Notice the double set of 072 switches in front of the Pa Silver passenger car with the black roof,
the switch under the complete silver car is a lot older than I am and it works perfect everytime, it does take some power however. Every engine and every piece of roling stock runs thru my old 072
Lionel switches, can't say the same for the new ones.

If you are using tube rail and cannot find the old Lionel O-72, I would urge you to try the new Ross switches. I am very pleased with mine. Looks better as well.
Al

Al,
Do you have any Tin Plate Trains sir, I am thinking about some Ross switches on my next layout, will the Ross switches accommodate my old & new Tin Plate
Engines and rolling stock?
PCRR/Dave

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If you are using tube rail and cannot find the old Lionel O-72, I would urge you to try the new Ross switches. I am very pleased with mine. Looks better as well.
Al

Could be because I modeled my layout somewhere between toy train and scale, I love the nostalgic look of tinplate track & PW switches, especially when the bright red & green lights are on all over the layout.
For me, nothing looks worse then a prewar tinplate train running on Atlas or Lionel FasTrack.
Joe

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It derails midway thru. It happens when say entering a switch from the mainline and transitioning to the siding.

If its just one engine, does it derail on more then one switch?
I have lots of O-72 switches on my layout. Just about every one needed unique tinkering as they had a unique way to derail engines in different ways.
For me the biggest problem was derailing as two wheel pilots leave the switch heading out towards the motor end.
Joe

I've only tried it on 2 and it derails on both. I put the train away due to frustration since it's the only one doing this. I'll pull it back out and take a closer look at what's happening.

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I've only tried it on 2 and it derails on both

The first thing to check is if the pilot wheels slide side to side freely with enough slack and spin easily?
If one wheel rides up and over the rail at the frog this could be your problem.
Joe

This subject has come up from time to time over the past 10 years or so. Most people, like me simply got rid of the Lionel 072s. I had 14 on my layout. I replaced them with Ross Regular & Ross 072s. Best move I ever made. Now I can actually run my trains.